Viking Camp
by Jemerald Goldie
Summary: Stoick sends out Berk's teenagers to a camp for young Vikings-in-training to be better warriors without their dragons. At first reluctant, the six friends soon find that the camp is actually more fun than they thought- - until they run into a group of Meatheads who think the world revolves around them.
1. Sailing to Viking Camp

**Chapter 1: Sailing to Viking Camp**

Early in the morning was when Hiccup and Toothless would go on their daily flights, just the two of them and the open sky. Today was different, however. Hiccup was awake earlier than usual and working quickly in the blacksmith shop. He was obviously trying to finish his work as fast as possible. Toothless had tried prodding and growling at him, but Hiccup would always shoo him away with "I don't have time to go flying, Toothless; I'm busy." Eventually the Night Fury gave up and settled to dozing next to the warm furnace.

It seemed out of character for Hiccup to skip a day of flying. It was one of his favorite things to do despite the dawn chill. But Stoick had specifically told him and his friends last night at supper: "Tomorrow you will all be going to a Viking Camp Gobber and I went to when we were lads. It is to get you more into the social Viking life as other tribes will send their young warriors there, too, and you will also get to test and sharpen your skills as one of us." Gobber wanted Hiccup to finish his latest project before leaving, so he was working harder than usual in a hurry to get it done.

"Okay, okay… just about… done!" Hiccup stepped back from his newest invention with pride welling up inside him. "It's perfect. What do you think, bud?"

Toothless snorted in disinterest and turned his face away.

Shaking his head in disapproval, Hiccup returned to his project. It was similar to a crossbow, but it was designed to launch fish instead. It was really just a recreational item for Toothless, since he loved playing with his food, so Hiccup made a solution to just shoot the fish at him. He knew that his legendary dragon would love it. In fact, since he was pretty grumpy from not flying, it was just too perfect of a moment to not test it out.

"Hey, _Toothless_ …" sang Hiccup as he mischievously grabbed the fish-bow, loading it up with a cod from the top of a fish barrel (It was Berk, and there were fish barrels EVERYWHERE,) "You hungry, bud?"

Toothless just growled and moved his head further away.

"Alright, you're asking for it now." Hiccup stated and he shot the fish-launcher, getting a direct hit across Toothless's head. Toothless jerked up in surprise as he felt the fish slap the back of his head and he stared at it on the ground with wide green eyes. Then without a second thought he happily gobbled it up and licked his lips, but as soon as he saw Hiccup laughing he deflated and glared at him.

"Here, catch!" Hiccup shot a salmon this time. Toothless watched it sail through the air and leaped, catching it square in his teeth and swallowing it down. He playfully bowed his front legs with his hindquarters in the air, wiggling his tail back and forth as he waited for Hiccup to do it again.

Hiccup shot a few more fish into the air, and Toothless would run and catch it, all of his grumpiness forgotten. It was an odd sight to the rest of Berk- - some of the Berkians just stopped what they were doing and stared. Toothless looked like the happiest dragon in the world and Hiccup just couldn't stop smiling and laughing at the dragon's funny behavior. But as soon as he noticed he had an audience, Hiccup froze and his smile faltered.

Toothless noticed Hiccup stopped launching fish and leaped at him, nudging and purring and licking him playfully. Hiccup pushed him off, hid the fish launcher behind his back, and awkwardly shuffled back to the forge with the stares slowly following him. Toothless tilted his head and bounced after his rider with his tongue flopping out the side of his mouth, completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

Meanwhile Stoick was pacing back and forth in the Great Hall while his best friend Gobber sat at a table near him, chewing on a chicken leg carelessly. Stoick groaned and removed his helmet, running a hand over the top of his head.

Gobber stopped eating and gave him a look. "Stoick, you need ta quit worrying."

"I'm not worrying." Stoick replied bluntly and put his helmet back on, continuing to pace.

"Really. I suppose ya aren't pacing then, either." Gobber said sarcastically.

Stoick sighed deeply and sat down on the other side of Gobber, rubbing his hand over his face. "I'm just concerned. I know how much Hiccup hates being apart from that dragon of his. I also know he doesn't fare well in strength. Am I doing the right thing, Gobber, letting him go to this Viking camp?"

Gobber gave the chief of Berk a serious look. "Listen, Stoick. You know as well as I do that the newer generation must be shown ta other tribes and vice versa. It isn't really a choice for us ta make."

"I know, Gobber." Stoick grumbled in annoyance. "But as a father, I want what's best for him. You understand, don't you?"

"Yes. No. Well, sorta," Gobber admitted. He then added more gently, "But he is getting older, Stoick; he can handle himself. Maybe it's time for you ta understand that." He paused before reminding him, "And don't forget he's got friends, too. As odd as they may be, they support him. He'll be fine."

"Maybe I should come with you," Stoick concluded, sounding close to desperate. "To, you know… make sure you don't get lost at sea."

Gobber stared at him. "You're tellin' that ta someone who's sailed there and back o'er eleven times. No, Stoick; you've got ta stay here and look after the village. You're the chief; you have responsibilities. And don't worry; if it makes ya feel better, I'll keep a close eye on Hiccup. Sound good?"

Stoick reluctantly nodded. "You're right. Thank you, Gobber." Slowly he turned and walked out of the Great Hall. Of course he knew his son was growing up. He knew Hiccup could make his own choices… but a great part of him stayed stubborn to not accept it.

0o0o0o0

At the edge of the village, Hiccup, Astrid, and the rest of the teens along with their dragons were clustered together, whether they were talking about the Viking camp or just plainly goofing off. The twins were having a staring contest with their respective dragon's heads, Snotlout was trying in vain to make Hookfang move over, Astrid was lying against Stormfly, Fishlegs was humming and reading a book beside Meatlug and Hiccup fiddled with his fish launcher, Toothless eyeing the contraption with big eyes as if it would launch fish at any moment. To sum it up they were all feeling relaxed- - Snotlout eventually felt relaxed when he gave up trying to move the stubborn Monstrous Nightmare.

"Ow, my eyes are burning!" Tuffnut yowled as he jerked his stare away from Belch. The Zippleback purred in triumph and bumped its two heads together, smiling victoriously at its riders. Ruffnut turned on her brother and punched his shoulder.

"Idiot, you made us lose!"

"Did not."

"Did to!"

The two lost all train of thought and launched themselves at each other, resulting in an inseparable tussle.

The remaining teens watched the twins duke it out for a few moments before focusing back on whatever amused them. Astrid turned to look at Hiccup, who was still fiddling with his latest contraption, with Toothless eyeing it like a wolf on a fat chicken. "What's that dinky-looking thing?" she asked curiously.

Hiccup gave her a reproachful look. "A fish-launcher." Toothless perked his ear plates, eyes round and hopeful.

Snotlout snorted. "What's it do?" he asked, looking ready to judge it as soon as he could.

"Probably launches fish," Astrid deadpanned, giving Snotlout an eerie stare. Snotlout blinked and scoffed, turning away out of embarrassment while Hookfang purred in amusement.

Fishlegs looked up from his book beside Meatlug, seeing Gobber and Stoick approaching. "Oh, hey, Gobber; hi chief." He greeted happily. His announcement got everyone else's attention- - even the twins paused to behold.

"You kids ready to go?" Stoick asked in a husky low voice.

The teens exchanged glances with one another, and eventually Snotlout asked, "Go where?"

Gobber, suddenly looking very cheerful, exclaimed, "Viking Camp! The place where all kids yer ages stay for six weeks to train, meet other tribes, and learn more about what it is to be a Viking!"

Snotlout instantly brightened at this; the twins nudged each other excitedly and Fishlegs clapped eagerly. Hiccup made no notion of joy, resulting with Astrid giving him a worried glance.

"I know you're all excited," Stoick went on, slightly reluctantly, "but understand this is not just to have fun. You will be working hard in the tasks you are given in order to show your Viking worth to the rest of the tribes. You will not be competing against them, but it has been an unspoken tradition for the campers to do so every year- - it's not official, but it's just something… well, something…"

"Fun?" Gobber suggested with a teasing gleam in his eyes.

Stoick glared at him then sighed. "Yes, I suppose so. It is just something _fun_ that they like to do."

"Looks like your old mans' losing all sense of humor," Snotlout muttered to Hiccup.

"When are we leaving?" Astrid inquired.

"Today," Stoick stated before turning with his fists held behind his back, slowly padding away.

Gobber watched his old friend go, perhaps a bit wistfully. Then he shook his head and faced the kids again, looking bright and happy once more. "So go get packed- - bring everything you need, including blankets, pillows, clothing, and a snack for the seas. As in, bring food for eating during the trip." He winked before limping off, whistling the tune of "I'm a Viking Through and Through."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut instantly started chatting. "Yes! Finally, we get to meet the other tribes! Can you believe this?"

"Hardly, sis. I've been waiting for this day for years!"

"I know," Snotlout agreed. "We have a chance to show those dopy other tribes our potential." He laughed proudly. "I bet they don't even know how to swing an axe properly."

Even Fishlegs was practically bouncing on his toes. "We get to learn more about our neighboring tribes! Oh, can you believe it, Meatlug? Imagine all the history we could explore…" he suddenly looked urgent. "I better start packing right away!" he leapt onto his Gronckle and they fluttered off.

"Last one packed and at the docks is a dead Viking!" Snotlout crowed as he flew off with Hookfang, the twins and Barf and Belch right on his tail. Astrid mounted Stormfly and looked down at Hiccup.

"You coming?" she pressed, Stormfly's legs fidgeting to get moving.

Hiccup looked uncertain, unable to meet her eyes for more than a few seconds. "Um… yeah. Yeah, right behind you." He rested an arm on Toothless's head, and the Night Fury eyed his rider with confused concern.

Astrid narrowed her eyes. "It'll only be a few weeks, Hiccup. Toothless won't even know you were gone. He'll be fine here; don't worry about it," with a caw Stormfly took to the skies.

Hiccup watched his friends on their dragons disappear into the village some ways away. His gaze wavered to Toothless, and the Night Fury didn't miss the sadness varnishing behind the boy's eyes. The dragon purred and pushed his nose to Hiccup's cheek reassuringly, his tail wagging hopefully not unlike a dog. Hiccup softly smiled and climbed into the saddle. "Alright, bud… I better get a move on before I fall too far behind the others." With a snort Toothless opened his wings to the wind, allowing it to guide him to the Viking dwellings above.

0o0o0o0

It was probably ten minutes later when Hiccup and Toothless arrived at the docks. There wasn't much to prepare; the camp already provided nearly everything of what they would need, such as shelter, beds, food and water. As Gobber liked to say, "You don't have to pack heavy for Viking Camp!" because what else could they possible need? They were just camping for six weeks- - all they had to bring were two pairs of clothing, a blanket and a pillow- - no big deal.

"What took?" Snotlout demanded. "We've been waiting for hours."

Hiccup ignored the bossy teenager and dismounted his dragon. "Where's Gobber?" the burly Viking warrior was supposed to escort the teens to the camp, which was many islands away.

"Aye, I never left," Gobber popped up from inside the ship waiting in the near waters. "Get on in here, you bums, and drop your luggage off- - she's ready to sail."

The six young Vikings took their respective items and dragged them onto the ship, setting them among the rest of the cargo at the end of the ship. Hiccup observed the many crates and barrels, giving his mentor a skeptical look. "Why so much gear, Gobber?"

"Oh, you know… anything could happen at the camp, so I'm just planning ahead." Gobber explained rather hesitantly. He grinned innocently before looking serious again. "Now go kiss your loved ones goodbye, 'cuz we'll be leaving soon."

The teens were surprised to see many of the village's Vikings at the docks so suddenly, all watching and waiting for the ship to head out with their fourteen and fifteen year olds. Astrid spotted her parents not far from the front of the crowd and she went to them, hugging them in turn and saying farewell. Snotlout puffed out his chest before his dad, promising he would make the rest of the tribes look like a bunch of babies. Fishlegs shared cheerful words with his parents while Ruffnut and Tuffnut had subtle but meaningful goodbyes to theirs. Hiccup scanned the audience for his dad, his heart sinking when he couldn't spot him in the midst. Toothless nudged his rider and pointed his nose to the right, his throat bubbling to grab his attention. Hiccup followed his dragon's gaze and finally noticed Stoick, the chief of Berk, walking boldly down from the top of the docks with his head held high. The Berkains parted to let him through as he stalked across the boards, the crowd falling quieter with each person he passed. Hiccup tried to catch his eye but Stoick had his back facing him when he made it to the front of his people, preparing to make a speech before them.

"It has been many years since we have sent out a generation of our Vikings to this faraway camp," he began once all was silent. "And as leader of this tribe, I am proud to present these strong, diligent young warriors to our bordering tribes. They have grown well and learned much, and I am proud to be given such blessings." He turned to the side to look at them, eyes shining particularly longer at his son. "I believe at their return they will have grown and learned even more, though it may be hard to see them gone for such a length of time. I trust they will return stronger and more willing to serve their tribesmen, until they age to become complete Vikings of Berk."

The crowd cheered, fists waving in the air victoriously as if they had just won a full-fledged battle. Stoick allowed them to holler as long as they pleased, finally padding to face the younger generation in person.

"Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs," Stoick spoke, smiling while shaking his head. "An odd bunch, but I couldn't be more proud of you. I expect great things from you six."

"Th-thank you, sir," Fishlegs breathed, staring at the chief in wonder.

"We won't let you down, chief." Astrid promised, her expression determined and ready for whatever lied in wait for her.

"I believe you," Stoick replied. His head shot up when Gobber called impatiently.

"Hey, I've been risking skin and nail to set up and load this Thor-forsaken ship; are we leaving or what?"

Stoick shook his head slowly before clearing his throat. "Well, ah… off you kids go, then."

"Bye, Stormfly."

"I'm gonna miss you, Hooky."

"Barf, Belch… try not to blow up too many things without us."

"I'll bring you extra new rocks when I come back, Meatlug; I promise."

Hiccup watched as his friends left their dragons on the docks, boarding the ship with the waiting Gobber. Toothless saw this as well, and he gave his rider a panicked look, his throat rumbling as he pressed his head against Hiccup's side. "It's okay, bud…" Hiccup breathed as he bent down, his gaze on the boards below as Toothless rubbed his head against Hiccup's. "Dad will take good care of you."

Toothless whimpered when Hiccup pulled away, but the boy didn't respond. He forced himself to walk off, trying not to imagine the dragon's depressed gaze from his departure. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his dad.

"Hiccup, I uh… wanted to give you something." Stoick fumbled something in his hands, eventually presenting the boy a small locket. A red jewel was clasped in the center of two curved rings, smelted and designed from pure gold. He gently set it in Hiccup's much smaller hands as if it could break at any moment.

Hiccup stared at it uncertainly, unsure of what to say or do. "Wow, it's, um…"

"I gave that to your mother at our wedding," Stoick explained.

Something inside Hiccup sparked and the locket suddenly had a whole new meaning to him. This time he stared at it with deep interest and genuine care. "Wow…" he then looked up at his dad, confused. "Why give it to me?"

"It is tradition; a red locket passed down from all Haddocks," Stoick rumbled, "My father gave this one to me for my bride, and his father gave him one for my mother." He chuckled slightly. "Of course it isn't the same one, and I would have given it to you once you were actually ready to marry, but after Val…" he trailed away, shaking his head. "Never mind. It is said to give you good luck. Whether or not that is true, it… it keeps her closer."

Feeling a bit of a Deja Vu, Hiccup enclosed the locket in a gentle but firm fist. He nodded slightly at his dad, understanding what he meant now. He felt a bit strange at the mention of marrying however, and it made him blush at the thought.

Stoick must have caught on his son's embarrassment. He looked everywhere but his eyes, adjusting his helmet several times over. "I guess… I will see you later, then," Stoick said awkwardly, though it sounded more like a question.

Hiccup stared at Stoick, words stuck in his throat. He looked away, shuffling his feet as he managed to burst something out. "Yeah… later."

Stoick adjusted his stance, looking to and fro as he tried to search for words. "Um… be safe, work hard… and… uh…" he managed to glance at his son for a second. "Goodbye."

Hiccup gave a tiny awkward smile. "Bye." He pocketed the locket inside his fur vest and quickly shuffled onto the ship, relieved to leave the awkward tension behind.

"All aboard!" Gobber shrieked, although everyone was already on board. He pulled the ship out of the docks after heaving anchor, all of the Vikings on shore waving and calling and cheering. Hiccup ran to the side of the ship where his friends were, all responding and waving back farewells. He noted all of his friend's families and dragons, the winged creatures seeming to roar out their own way of goodbyes as well. Toothless was in the same place Hiccup left him, staring at his rider longingly. They locked eyes until Hiccup broke it, wanting to see where his dad went. There he was, at the very head of the audience, arms on his sides as he watched the ship sail out. He didn't meet Hiccup's gaze.

It took that length of time for Hiccup to realize his last word to Stoick was barely a whisper, and it led him to wonder if his father even heard it.


	2. Settling In

**Chapter 2: Settling In**

It was midnight by the time the ship boarded the island. It was quiet and very lush, not a single sandy beach in sight. The sky was clear of clouds, exposing the stars and moon to every watching gaze that looked on up. However Gobber wasn't interested in stopping to admire the view.

"Alright, let's move these out," he instructed, pushing down a platform from the top of the ship to the grassy floor of land. The six teenagers rushed to grab their things, desperate to get off of the water. They practically fought to be the first ones down, their persistence so high that they bowled Gobber over when they ran past. Tuffnut leapt over the side of the ship, not looking where he was landing, and splashed into knee-deep water. He groaned loudly as his sister, who was safely standing dry on the grassy earth, laughed at him.

"We're here!" Fishlegs squealed; he was bouncing on his toes but then paused to frown. "If only Meatlug could be here with me, too."

"On the contrary," Gobber interceded, looking grim. "No other tribe has fully accepted the ways of living with dragons. It would be looked at as a sign of threat, and the last thing we need is a war at a camp with young Vikings like you."

Snotlout breathed in deeply to the crisp air. "I smell cooked salmon. And smoke,"

Gobber smiled a bit. "It is traditional for Viking Camp to begin with a bonfire. Ah, that reminds me of when I was your age…" he went on to tell them some long tired story, unaware that the teens had tuned out and gone their respective ways. As soon as Gobber realized they had gone he paused, looked around, shrugged, and whistled on his way to where the boy huts were.

The Berkian boys were standing before the huts, looking lost. "Gobber, which one is ours?" Hiccup asked, hearing his mentor come up to them from behind.

"Lesse…" the Blacksmith pulled a piece of crumbled old paper from his trousers. "Looks like you've got hut four. Follow me."

With luggage in hands the boys followed their limping elder in silence, allowing themselves to take in everything that was happening around them. There was a bonfire in the center of a clearing farther behind them where many Vikings their ages danced and ate and chatted. Trees surrounded the back of the huts in a semicircle only perfect enough to have been chopped and planted by people. Around the quiet huts were chirping crickets and hooting owls, a peaceful contrast to the party going on down the small slope.

"Welcome to your home away from home," introduced Gobber as he opened the door to hut four and walked inside with the boys.

Hiccup examined the hut that was dubbed as theirs. It looked more like a small house, one that you may find on Berk- - but without a second floor and with a bit more room from lack of furnishing. There were five bunk beds, two against the walls on either side and one in the center against the far wall. They were all parallel to each other and fit evenly in the decent-sized room. There was a single bed bigger and perpendicular to the bunks against the left side of the room closer to the door, and Hiccup guessed that would be Gobber's bed, since he would be their supervisor. Interestingly enough he saw there was already bedding on a few of the beds like someone had chosen them as theirs earlier on.

"Who else is gonna be in here?" Snotlout demanded.

Gobber shrugged. "I suppose we'll find out later tonight. Now go on and unpack your things- - I still want to make it to the bonfire."

The boys chose bunks and dropped their bedding and bags atop them, not bothering to set things up nicely for the upcoming weeks. Hiccup prolonged his unpacking, not feeling up for a night surrounded by many unfamiliar teenaged faces. When Snotlout, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs exited the hut in chit-chat Gobber eyed Hiccup with an eyebrow raised.

"Hiccup, you might want to pick up the pace; who knows what yer missing out there," Gobber pressed with a half-smile of nostalgia.

Hiccup shrugged. "I dunno if I'm missing _much_ ," he thought back at the sight of all the young Vikings in the clearing. "Yeah, dancing around a fire sounds like a smart idea. And in _every way_ exciting. Boy, I just can't _wait_ to join them." His voice dripped thick sarcasm and he turned back to his unpacking routine, via shuffling his hands back and forth in a bag to make it look like he was busy.

Gobber stared at his apprentice disapprovingly. "Ohh, you're going out there, and you're going out there _now._ " He stomped up to Hiccup and hooked his prosthetic to the back of the boy's shirt, turning around and dropping him at the door, completely ignoring all of Hiccup's peeved protests. "Outside," the blacksmith ordered. "Go!"

Crossly Hiccup stepped outside, Gobber limping close behind him. The burly blonde Viking led the scrawny brunet one to the clearing down the slope, where fire crackled between boys and girls Hiccup's age who still were dancing. Hiccup's irritation towards Gobber was quickly replaced with insecurity to the large crowd and he decided to stick a bit closer to his mentor. Gobber noticed this but said nothing as he switched his demeanor to a jolly one for the sake of greeting the many Vikings while walking by.

"Hullo there. Uh huh, I remember you. Just forgot your name is all." Gobber chuckled and continued to shout out welcoming phrases, glancing at Hiccup from time to time who was shadowing him. Eventually Gobber found a few adults who appeared to be hut supervisors and approached them for a good long chit-chat, but paused half-way to turn on Hiccup who thought he was being stealthy.

"Quit yer following me 'round like some lost puppy," Gobber ordered, looming over Hiccup with his chest sticking out to express his authority. "Go on and mingle with kids your age. There's plenty to go 'round."

Hiccup tried summing up an excuse. "But what if I want to spend some bonding time with my dear old mentor instead?"

He didn't need to be told he was a horribly lame liar based on the deadpan stare Gobber bore into his soul. Hardly moving an inch Gobber spoke bluntly, "Go on, now!"

Hiccup sighed in defeat. There was no point in arguing with someone who was over six feet tall and had a hook for a hand. Without another word Hiccup spun around and trudged off reluctantly, trying with great difficulty to imagine himself dancing around a fire like the rest of the teens.

The count of teenagers there seemed bigger when Hiccup went in the midst of it; every direction he looked he would see another person, even above him, where someone was dangling gleefully from a tree branch. The red light of the campfire flames glowed off the young Vikings' faces, confusing Hiccup on who was who. People pushed past him left and right, making him stumble back and forth into another person. Overwhelmed, Hiccup was just about ready to flee back to the hut when finally he spotted a familiar face waving him over to her. Relieved, Hiccup went in Astrid's direction with Ruffnut and two other girls already accompanying her.

Upon Hiccup's arrival the two unfamiliar girls looked up at him blankly. "Who's this?" they asked skeptically, giving uncertain glances at each other.

Astrid gestured Hiccup to sit beside her. "This is Hiccup; he's one of my good friends," she explained, giving the boy a smile. Hiccup's heart fluttered.

"You mean _boyfriend?_ " Ruffnut whispered with a mischievous chuckle in Astrid's ear. Astrid glared at her icily and punched her arm, but the twin didn't seem to notice as she continued giggling behind her hand.

The other teens raised their eyebrows but didn't speak directly at him. Instead they continued small talk amongst themselves, completely ignoring the Hooligans. Hiccup noticed this and glanced at Astrid with an inquiring look.

"What's up with them?"

Astrid was gazing at the girls, seeming to be unimpressed. "They're not too social with anyone outside their tribe. I wouldn't take it personally- - when Ruffnut and I first found our hut, they weren't any more friendly then."

"You share a hut with them?" Hiccup watched the dark haired girls again, cringing slightly at the animosity that burned in their eyes. "Have fun with that."

"Trust me, I'm _excited_." Astrid replied with thick sarcasm, turning her attention to the fire that blazed not far in front of her. She suddenly squinted and grew an expression of alarm. "Is that… Snotlout, Fishlegs, and Tuffnut over there?"

Hiccup and Ruffnut followed her stare. Sure enough, the three Berkians were where she guessed- - dancing around the fire like all the other teenagers, looking exactly what their tribe name suggested; hooligans. Snotlout and Tuffnut would let out a 'wolf cry' every so often as well, to every watching bystander's discomfort. Fishlegs followed after them, a supportive smile on his face but not joining in on the obnoxious screaming. Hiccup, Astrid, and Ruffnut shared an expression of disgusted terror as they stared on, willing silently for them to shut up and sit down already. Hiccup couldn't help feeling relieved when Snotlout bumped into another Viking teenager, causing his shrieking and dancing to be put to an abrupt stop.

"Hey! Watch where you're standing!" Snotlout snapped crossly and tried shoving the boy away, but he didn't so much as shake him aside. The other boy turned around and stared at Snotlout with cold blue eyes; he was a stocky fellow, not too big but not necessarily thin. He had black locks in a similar style to Snotlout's and a helmet with large horns that looked more like teeth. The boy was taller than the Berkian but Snotlout was bigger, so he felt he had nothing to be worried about until two other boys flanked the stranger's sides. He gulped and backed away nervously.

"Uh… I mean… sorry…?" Snotlout tried with his eyes flickering uncertainly.

The taller boy studied him carefully. "It's not like I should expect to not be bumped into when I'm around all of these so-called 'Vikings' dancing around a fire like a pack of fools."

Snotlout felt a strong wave of defiance, his fear forgotten. " _Excuse_ me? No one calls a Jorgenson a fool! Who do you think you are, anyway?"

The boy raised his eyebrows. "Name's Beckett; I'm the son of the Meathead chief, heir to the chieftain throne." His voice and his expression was chill, flat, calm… and it annoyed Snotlout beyond end.

Snotlout growled under his breath. "That doesn't make you king of the archipelago…"

"Of course," Beckett agreed, "because that would be ridiculous."

Upset he wasn't getting a strong response, Snotlout commanded, "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Beckett did not respond with expression. "Oh, nothing really," he replied smoothly, barely giving Snotlout a second glance as he prepared to walk on by him. "Why would anyone want to be king over someone as insignificant as you?"

"Maybe it's because they fear the competition I bring." Snotlout retorted snootily. "Like _you_ do."

Beckett's eyes flashed with resentment but still he spoke thinly. "Congratulations…" he murmured, a small smirk being the first sign of emotion that Snotlout had seen from him. "You've officially made yourself my enemy."

Meanwhile Hiccup and Astrid exchanged glances and quickly went up to their friend's side, Ruffnut following more slowly. Fishlegs and Tuffnut had abandoned Snotlout a while ago, but when they saw backup coming they confidently stepped forward once again.

"Alright, that's enough," Astrid said bluntly, grabbing Snotlout's arm and dragging him to the side with ease, ignoring his protests. She hardly glanced at Beckett when he started to talk to her, the boy completely disregarding the other four Hooligans who stood behind Astrid.

"Do you know him?" Beckett inquired casually.

Astrid tensed as she faced the boy. "Yes, why?" she asked with a light warning lacing her tone.

"No specific reason," admitted the Meathead as he bowed his head down. "I have just recently become acquainted with him… and boy, was that a pleasure," It was difficult to tell what he meant by that, but Snotlout didn't care as he was instead lost in the freezing stare the boy was boring into him.

Astrid however snorted instead of defending Snotlout. "You don't know the half of it." She said, taking his response as sarcastic. Ruffnut and Tuffnut gave hoots of agreement and Fishlegs just shrugged sheepishly towards the Jorgenson. Hiccup did not respond to the debacle; he instead put his focus on Beckett. He had met him before a long time ago when the Meathead tribe's chieftain and his family had visited Berk to seek Stoick's counsel- - of course they never became friends, no matter whether it was because of Beckett's lack of interest or Hiccup's tremendous fear of the bigger kid. Vaguely he wondered if any of his Berkian friends remembered that visit.

Hiccup was pulled from his thoughts when he heard the Meathead teenager start to talk again, still directing his speech towards Astrid. "Indeed I don't. I will count myself lucky." The stoic way he had said it made the six Hooligans unsure if they should laugh at the joke or defend from the insult. Thankfully they did not have to when Gobber suddenly reappeared out of nowhere, coaxing them roughly to join him at one edge of the bonfire.

"It's time for you to be completely introduced to the camp," he explained when they had all settled away, leaving the ever watchful gaze of Beckett behind in their trails and in their minds. Gobber gestured with his prosthetic arm towards a huge burly Viking Hiccup had never seen before who was getting to stand up on a stage sort of structure. "That brute's the director… so pay attention to what he tells ya, since I refuse to repeat any o' it later!"

The teenagers instantly assumed the situation would lead to a boring speech and reluctantly settled down in a patch of grass further away from the fire, where they got a nice view of the director but a safe spit-distance away. The director was a large Viking with a long torso and small legs, and his eyes were barely hidden from greasy hair sticking out from under his helmet. The man cleared his throat and stepped forward on the platform, his hand raised to silence the many kids below. This motion however resulted fruitless when absolutely no one paid him any mind and continued with their rough bustling. The director looked slightly annoyed and he tried clearing his throat again, raising his hand even higher- - and got the same response. Now looking beyond irritated, the man took in a huge gulp of air and suddenly roared into the sky, his bellow loud enough to shake the trees and make birds explode.

Utter silence followed his animalistic announcement, and all eyes were now on him.

" _Thank_ you," the irate director said shortly, his eyes probably rolling underneath his mop of hair. His voice was thick and throaty, being deep but not as deep as Stoick's- - it sure was projectile too from the way it rang throughout the entire large clearing. "All of you… welcome to Viking Camp!" he paused as if expecting cheers and applause, but only received cricket chirps and owl stares. The man cleared his throat once more, but this time it was awkward. "Anyway, I am so happy you could all make it here for the next six weeks to come, and I am sure as sure can get that it will be worth your time, because no one ever comes to Viking camp and leaves a lesson learned behind!" He hesitated again, but there still was no cheering. Looking more irritated that before, he went on in a begrudged manner, "So let's get this thing over with already."

The next ten minutes was used up by the director, who introduced himself as Head D., though he allowed any appropriate nicknames the teenagers might want to come up with. Head D. went on with the summary of the camp by going over the rules, mostly common knowledge ones like not to go fishing without a sword, or to always keep an eye out for danger so they could slay it. The only confusing rule was to always chew with your mouth full, but the teenagers knew better than to question it based on the director's already dim demeanor.

It seemed like ages until Head D. was finally finished, and by then all of the teenaged Berkians had fallen asleep in their little corner. Gobber was the only one in the crowd who clapped and howled in approval to the director's speech, making a scene although he could not care less. It was only when the crowd started to depart that Gobber realized his lot of teenagers were snoozing, with Hiccup limp against his arm, Astrid propped up to a large stone, Snotlout and Fishlegs sprawled over the grass, and the twins sleep-fighting over Gobber's wooden leg. The burly old Viking furrowed his brows and bellowed, startling everyone into shocked screeches, Astrid even drawing her axe out of habit.

"Wake up, ye slobbering babies! No one'll be sleepin' till after the festivities are over. 'Sides, you haven't been introduced to all the tribes yet."

The six teenagers groaned, and Hiccup knew by the looks on their faces that they would much rather have gone back to sleep. He was glad that he for once was not the only one in favor of a particular option.

Gobber, getting strong vibes of the Berkian's dislike to the situation, decided to add, "Ye also haven't had any supper yet. Just wait 'till you taste the delight of the roasted turkeys! Thas' right- - not chicken, but turkey!" He stood up, sharply prodding Snotlout's stomach with his hook when he started to mock him with funny faces. "I reckon none o' you have had _turkey_ before. Just you come an' follow me, I'll take ya to the Mead Hall." He began to walk in the direction of where Head D. was when Fishlegs summed up the courage to ask a question that had started nagging him.

"Um, Gobber," the gentle giant began while fiddling his fingers together. "Isn't dinner already being served?" he gestured to the many Vikings around the bonfire, holding their own servings of chicken and fish on a stick.

"Not so, lad," Gobber responded with a sly grin, "Thas' the appetizer!" he started to laugh heartily while strolling away.

The teens stared after the Blacksmith, silent until Snotlout blabbered out his common confusion. "What's an 'appetizer?'" This made Astrid scoff in disbelief and stomp away to Gobber alongside Ruffnut, having Fishlegs, Tuffnut and Hiccup follow quickly after. Even further confused, Snotlout exclaimed while chasing after them, "No, _seriously!_ What is an appetizer?"

 **A/N: I know, it's been way too long. My dearest apologies; I lost inspiration and forgot all about this story. Yes, I was rewriting it, and I am much happier with this recent outcome. It's nearing the end of Spring Break, but I will try my hardest to finish as much of this FanFiction as I can until we all head back to school doors. I will not commit to frequent updates, but I will not leave you guys waiting half a year for one again. Thanks for sticking with me!**


	3. The Hours After Midnight

**Chapter 3: The Hours After Midnight**

The rest of the evening had gone by fast for Hiccup. The Mead Hall was not much different from the one back on Berk, besides it being smaller and less formally built since it was meant for an informal audience of mainly teenagers. Gobber's promise that the turkey would be the best part of the dinner meal was indeed no lie, and Fishlegs was one of the first of the Hooligans to fall into quick love with the food. Soon enough the twins and Snotlout were ravishing all that they could get their hands on as well, even trying to nab a secret stash back to their respective Viking huts. They had stuffed their fur coats full of them, making them look bigger than usual- - and lumpier. Hiccup wasn't surprised that Gobber found them out easy, before they even _left_ the Mead Hall, as it was near impossible to pull the wool over that old Blacksmith's trained eyes.

Otherwise nothing else all too exciting happened during supper. Hiccup had sat among his friends, as most of the tribes had done, not quite wanting to integrate with the other teenagers. A fistfight just two tables away from theirs nearly broke loose between a helpless-looking fellow and one of the Meathead Tribe's teenagers, one which Hiccup recognized as Beckett's "stocky crony" from the bonfire, which fried Gobber's nostalgic mood as he had to literally tear the large boy off of the rather terrified one. Even though the encounter did not directly affect the Berkian teenagers, the six of them shared uneasy glances about how impulsive the Meathead had shown himself to be, and Hiccup hoped that because the crony was one of Beckett's friends he wouldn't be trying to provoke any of _them_.

The Vikings were filing out of the Mead Hall in one large group, although pretty much everyone stuck around their tribe-members. They dispersed into separate ways once the steps leading down the Mead Hall ran out into three dirt paths through the woods, one that led back to the bonfires while another path led to the Viking huts, the remaining going deeper into the woods where Gobber pointed out was a hiking trail.

"It goes throughout the majority of the woods area, and there's even a nice swimming lake that you'll be able to participate in later on in the weeks." The Berk Blacksmith was explaining to the teenagers as they walked down the steps from the Mead Hall. "It goes around a few miles, but if you keep turning to the trails on the right you will circle back around to the bonfires; so don't worry about gettin' lost."

"That sounds fun," Astrid commented, looking to her group of friends for approval.

The boy Thorston nodded his head rapidly. "Yeah, we should hike down there sometime."

Gobber chuckled. "There ain't no bedtime at this here Viking Camp; if you Vikings-to-be want a little adventure through those trees, have at it. I'm going back to the bonfire to catch up with some ol' friends- - jes' don't stay up too late, ye hear? All of you will be on your toes tomorrow."

The six called out obedient acknowledgements at Gobber's exit, the bulky Viking limping after the rest of the crowd down the bonfire path. As soon as he had disappeared with the rest of the Vikings, Ruffnut broke the comfortable silence between them by fangirling about the meal they had just finished.

"Okay, am I the only one freaking out right now? That food was _so_ good! So much better than the boring mutton back on Berk!"

Slightly surprised yet getting just as excited as her, Fishlegs said with a little hop, "I know, right? We should definitely start raising turkeys back at home. That would be so great."

"Sure," Tuffnut added, but he sounded much less enthusiastic. "…as long as someone _else_ has the job of caring for them."

"You know what else would be great," interrupted Snotlout, who was looking rather impatient and uninterested in the conversation, "For all of you to stop talking! Come on, who wants to go back to the bonfire with me?"

The twins crowed their agreement and Fishlegs nodded, not looking as if he cared one way or the other. Hiccup was about to comply too but paused when Astrid shrugged in disagreement. "Eh, I don't know guys. I think I'm going to hike down the trail; you know, to get a look around the camp, find the perfect place for axe throwing…"

Hiccup, feeling like he'd rather be with Astrid than left alone with the other four teenagers, quickly spoke up in support of her idea. "Hey, what a coincidence; I was thinking the exact same thing." He looked to the rest of the Berkians. "What do you guys think?"

"Yeah, I like that better." Tuffnut admitted. Ruffnut agreed with the new plan as well, and Fishlegs only went along with it so that he could stay with the majority of their group. The five turned expecting glances Snotlout's way, and the Jorgenson groaned in defeat.

"Fine. But my bonfire idea? Still good."

Under the shine of the moonlight, the six friends hiked their way down the hiking trail, walking deeper into the unfamiliar woods that circled past the Mead Hall in places they've never been before. For a while they resorted to silence, taking in the environment and enjoying the light evening breeze as well as the beautiful picture of open stars above. Throughout the journey Tuffnut found some poison ivy and tried wrestling Ruffnut into it, but the girl twin ended up throwing her brother into a thorn bush instead, giving them all something to laugh good-naturedly about. After Tuffnut had plucked all the thorns off his body they continued with their hike, filling the gaps of quiet with their jokes, laughter, and small talk. Never did Hiccup imagine that they would be able to have so much free reign, considering the adults couldn't care less where they went in the camp no matter what the time of day was. Hiccup was about to mention this to Astrid when Fishlegs had abruptly stopped walking, attracting the other's attentions.

"Did you guys hear that?" he asked quietly, standing stock-still as he only moved his eyes frantically into the dark woods on either side of the trail.

Really loudly Tuffnut responded, "Hear what?" only to get smacked across the mouth by Ruffnut to shut him up.

Snotlout shushed the two violently then tensed. "Listen…"

The six held their breaths, and just when Hiccup was starting to wonder if Fishlegs was only imagining things from his fear of the dark they heard the crackling of a twig go off in the shadows, a few crumble of leaves and undergrowth confirming to them all that someone- - or something- - was walking through the forest very slowly, and very close by. Fishlegs started to whimper and the twins darted to look left and right to identity what it was. Snotlout held his breath while Astrid tensed, preparing for a struggle if it turned out to be anything dangerous. Hiccup didn't dare blink or breathe as he waited for the inevitable to happen to them all.

At that moment three shadowy figures from behind the group leapt out of the woods, releasing blood-curdling screams. The Berkians shrieked and leapt away from the figures, namely Fishlegs and Snotlout who were closest to the invaders. Further up the path three more figures crawled out of the pitch-black forest onto the path, trapping the six dragon riders between them all, making strange growling noises and lifting their arms to seem bigger and more intimidating. While the twins, Fishlegs and Snotlout squealed uncontrollably at the unexpected attack, and Astrid looked plainly shocked, Hiccup started to frown at the figures, recognizing one of them when they stepped into the moonlight.

"Guys," Hiccup started, not taking his eyes off the one person as he tried calming his friends down. "Guys!" It proved fruitless, however, when his calls were drowned by their screams. However Astrid put her attention to Hiccup and started to realize what he had seen, too, but before they could do anything about it the shadowy figures that surrounded them all started to transform their growls to howls of cruel laughter- - the kind of I-just-played-a-joke-on-you cruel laughter rather than the kind of I-am-going-to-kill-you-and-enjoy-it cruel laughter. This turn of event caused the Berkians to seize their cries immediately, their fears being replaced by utter confusion. And, just as Hiccup and Astrid had discovered, the familiar face of Beckett appeared in front of the rest of the Meatheads, who had all dispersed past the Berkians to the head of the trail by their tribe's heir with tears of laughter rolling down their faces.

"That was incredible," Beckett said with a superior gleam in his eyes. "Who knew that Berkians had such girly screams?"

Tuffnut, wanting to retain some dignity said, "If that's the case, it must've been Snotlout you heard." He earned quite the punch across the arm from the Jorgenson for that comment.

Astrid looked furious, and she looked ready to rip the Meathead's head clean off his neck. "What is _wrong_ with you Vikings? Do you have any idea how late it is?"

"That just makes the joke even funnier," Beckett reasoned calmly. "Besides, I had to get 'Snotlout' back, being my new enemy and all…"

Hiccup, although still bewildered from the situation, felt more irritated than anything at this point. He gently pushed Astrid back so that she wouldn't be tempted to smash a rock over Beckett's nose and stepped in front of his friends. "Oh, would you knock it off? We never meant to cause any trouble with you guys in the first place." His friends gave him surprised looks, not expecting him to confront the Meathead. But they quickly recovered and joined Hiccup's side, instantly voicing their agreements to back him up.

Beckett also appeared off-guard to be stood up by a runt. He looked tempted to laugh, but instead he leaned forward, his expression unimpressed. "And who," he demanded quietly, "are you?"

Hiccup felt a terse wave of insecurity and felt himself blushing, beginning to regret bringing attention to himself. He stuttered, his face turning even redder when the five Meatheads behind Beckett started sniggering at his doubt. Thankfully the Berkians did not put up with any of their rudeness, and turning the favor over to Hiccup they proudly presented him forward with their chins sticking forward.

"Oh, he's only Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, son of Stoick the Vast, heir to the throne of Berk." Astrid stated with a challenging look in her eyes. Snotlout nodded and put a hand on Hiccup's shoulder, glaring at Beckett with a guise that said, ' _Whatcha gonna do about it?'_ Ruffnut and Tuffnut crossed their arms, nodding their approval while Fishlegs shot reproachful glances at the opposing teenagers. Hiccup did not look very excited at the prospect of being placed in the center of attention, but he did deeply appreciate the support his Berkian peers were giving him; just a few months ago, he never would have imagined them being proud of him as their chieftain heir.

However Beckett was still not moved in stature. He frowned deeply and shook his head, his expression still radiating off with a feeling of superiority. "You're the heir of Berk?" He then snorted in amusement. "Can you even lift a fork?"

Astrid tore her way in front of Hiccup and stared Beckett down. "Can you keep your ugly mouth shut?" she retorted furiously.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, lass," Beckett eased, his smile not leaving and his friends not stopping their laughter. "I'm just making a joke."

"You wanna talk about jokes now?" Snotlout snapped, also pushing to Astrid's side. "Cause I've got a lot of jokes I can give you- - and _you're_ the punchline!" he cracked his knuckles to make his point.

Beckett took a step away from Snotlout, his amusement turning to disgust. "Hey, watch it! An heir deserves some space."

Hiccup could hardly believe how quickly their situation had escalated. He tried to break the two groups apart with a few futile exclamations when Tuffnut reciprocated with a growl, "If an heir deserves some space, then maybe you'd give _our_ heir some more respect."

Beckett shot a hateful look Hiccup's way. "If you ask me, he doesn't even deserve to be an _heir."_

That was when the two opposing groups snapped. The Hooligans were just about to attack the Meatheads when Hiccup broke between the teenagers, holding his arms out at either side. "Stop!" he shrieked.

Surprisingly it had the desired effect and the Hooligans backed down, but Beckett and the Meatheads still looked tense. Hiccup continued, sounding rather breathless. "Look, pointlessly arguing in the middle of the woods won't solve anything; it's due time we headed back, and cleared our heads."

Beckett did not appreciate the way Hiccup's words gave the Hooligans recognition of his authority. He noticed in shock that even his own tribe members started to calm down because of him, making his anger burn even more. However he was at a loss as what to say, and settled for staring coldly into the smaller boy's eyes, though Hiccup did not look at all frightened- - he was just calm, and it frustrated Beckett beyond end.

In silence the two tribe groups traveled down the hiking trail together, though they refused to join ranks. Every once in a while Beckett would catch Hiccup's gaze, trying to provoke him with that challenging superior gleam, but Hiccup would only focus on where he was walking and ignore his unspoken threats. He hardly cared about what Beckett thought of him at this point; all that Hiccup was moved by was how his friends had stuck up for him. It meant so much more to him than they would ever know, and that was all that had mattered to him at the moment.

It took probably half an hour before the bonfire clearing was in sight, only the fires were out now, leaving just a bed of ash behind in each pit. Beckett summoned the Meatheads to follow him away from the Hooligans once they entered the clearing, adding over his shoulder to them as a passing threat, "This isn't finished." They then dispersed towards the Viking huts.

Hiccup jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Astrid's grin. "Hey, that was really cool that you managed to control the Meatheads," she said approvingly. She then added, looking slightly guilty, "Sorry that I almost lost my head at them; that Beckett-guy just makes me want to slice my axe across his throat."

Hiccup chuckled slightly and looked down, absently staring at his prosthetic leg. "Yeah… thanks." He had wanted to thank them for standing up to him, too, but his words were caught in his throat and he couldn't bring himself to say anything else. He just hoped that his grateful smile was enough to give them the message.

Ruffnut suddenly stretched her arms in a yawn. "Well… I'm drained. See you guys tomorrow." She started to walk in the direction of the girl's huts, tapping Astrid's arm as she went. "Coming with me?"

Astrid nodded and followed in her step, looking to the boys one last time. "Night, guys," she said before leaving in Ruffnut's step. "See you at breakfast!"

Hiccup watched Astrid go, a rather stupid dreamy look lingering on his face for a moment. He shook out of it when Fishlegs, Snotlout and Tuffnut started to exit the bonfire clearing back to the huts where they figured Gobber was waiting for them since no one was down there anymore. He went to catch up with them, his stomach tightening in anxious excitement at the urgent want for the next day to come. Even though he was sure to hate the activities of the Viking Camp, he was elated that he would be spending it all with Astrid and the rest of his friends. The only regret he had was that he couldn't have Toothless with him.

It took a little while for the boys to remember which hut was theirs. They had traveled to the wrong one at first, having walked clear inside the room only to discover a group of strangers staring at them as if they were the dumbest Vikings in the world. The four had just as awkwardly left and went searching again, and thankfully Fishlegs remembered Gobber mentioning earlier that they had 'hut four.' So, using only a few more minutes, the four boys had finally found the correct sleeping quarters and went inside, Snotlout having peeked his head in first to make certain it was theirs. Seeing Gobber and their familiar bedding and belongings, they entered the hut in single file, only realizing there were several familiar teenagers in respective bunks after Tuffnut had shut the door behind them.

"Ah, you're back," Gobber greeted; he was running a rag across his prosthetic hook while sitting on his bed, his helmet placed idly beside him. He gestured briefly to the rest of the room where the waiting teenagers were for the Berkians to see. "I've been told you've already met."

And as luck would have it, there in the room before them was Beckett and his five cronies, all sitting in the last few bunks left for them to choose, looking at the Berkians curiously as if the encounter in the woods had never happened. Fishlegs gave the Meathead boys a wide-eyed look while Snotlout and Tuffnut stared back at them with scowls. Hiccup glanced from his friends to the Meatheads uncertainly, his previous hopes about not running into trouble with them again being flushed out of his mind.

The Berkian boys reluctantly stepped to their individual beds, Snotlout and Tuffnut refusing to defuse eye contact with them. However they had to for a few moments when they settled themselves in their own bunks, yet returned to stare again, Tuffnut even twitching a crazy eye a few times, making one of the Meatheads cringe. Fishlegs and Hiccup didn't bother with the pointless staring contest and simply settled themselves in their respective bunks, waiting for Gobber to finish polishing his hook and douse the lanterns hanging off the room walls.

Beckett had his bed on the top bunk that was placed in the center of the room, where Snotlout was residing on the bed underneath him. Hiccup knew that was never going to end well since the two had started off on a bad note. To the far left corner of the room Tuffnut was sleeping on the top bunk and Fishlegs below him, so that wasn't much of a problem for them, but the bunk next to them against the same wall resided two of the Meatheads, who had introduced themselves as "Hairyfist," the bulky one on the top, and "Oscar," who was skinnier yet still tough-looking on the bottom. A Meathead named "Erling" was above Hiccup on the far right corner and the last bunk on the right side held "Grid" on the bottom and "Gangar" on the top. Soon after making these observations Hiccup glanced up to attention once Gobber blew out the lantern lights and blackness fell upon them all in the hut. He started talking to them in the dark.

"Ye ain't allowed out after the lanterns are out," Gobber forewarned with meaning in his tone. "…unless you need to get to the outhouse. But you'd better come straight back here afterwards, or there will be consequences."

The old Blacksmith made move to climb into his bed and go to sleep. A thick silence settled between the teenagers, all feeling detached with the darkness keeping them from being able to see anything around them. However as time gradually started to slip by Hiccup could hear people starting to snore, the first being Gobber's unmistakably heavy breathing and the next few unidentifiable under the cover of night. Hiccup tossed and turned in the corner of the room, unable to get himself to fall asleep. He could not get his mind off Berk, as he couldn't help but wonder what his dad and Toothless were doing at that exact moment. He wondered how they were getting along in the village and if Toothless was still able to get his daily flying exercises during Hiccup's absence. The mere image of the two he left behind made his heart twist and he found himself missing their presence already. As quietly as possible, Hiccup rolled the upper part of his body over the edge of his bed, reaching an arm down to the floor where his bag was with his belongings stashed inside it. After a bit of fumbling around he find what he was looking for and pulled out the red jewel that was encased between two curved rings, the locket which his father had given him at the docks before they left, and thinking back on it Hiccup felt like it had been forever ago rather than just that morning. He enclosed the red jewel in his fist and moved back on his other side, facing the wall and closing his eyes. His dad was half-right on what he said about the jewel; Hiccup never knew his mom, but it did make home feel a little bit closer.

 **A/N: This seems slow-paced to me, so I hope it wasn't boring for you guys. Originally this chapter was going to take place in the Mead Hall during the first meal at the camp, but I had such a hard time coming up with a good scenario of how "The Confrontation" would play out in that setting, so I dropped the ball. I really wish I could have shown it in that scene, but the plot just would not fit with it. The next chapter is going to include a lot more action, I promise.**

 **Thanks for reading- - please drop a review so I know if people are actually reading this; I don't mind if it's short. :)**


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